Where to Watch Space Shuttle Enterprise in New York

NOTE: The route is subject to change due to weather and operational constraints. Follow @nycaviation on Twitter for route updates.

Enroute to its new home at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, Space Shuttle Enterprise is tentatively scheduled to fly to New York on Friday, April 27, between 10:30am and 11:30am, riding piggyback on a Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

This once-in-a-lifetime flight will be visible to millions of people as the Shuttle/Carrier combo fly over much of the New York City area at low altitude (1000-3000 ft) before landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The five boroughs will see the most action, but areas as far north as Tarrytown and Nyack, NY, and as far east as Westbury, NY, will get some shuttle love as well.

On the map above, the blue line represents an approximation of the planned path, green thumbtacks mark the best spots to spot the action, and the white diamonds mark key landmarks on the path.

Based on an FAA flight itinerary we’ve obtained, here are 17 spots in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester where we think you’re most likely to get a good view.

Please note that this route is subject to change due to weather and traffic conditions, and some of these spots might not get a flyby at all. The two things we can guarantee are that 1.) the Hudson River corridor will see the most action and 2.) the plane will land on JFK’s Runway 31L.

On Twitter or Instagram? Tag your shuttle photos with #shuttlespottingnyc and we’ll retweet and/or publish the best ones!

Good luck spotting the shuttle!

Manhattan

1. Anywhere on the Hudson River: Pretty much any place with a view of the Hudson in the 30 mile stretch between Jersey City and Tarrytown — including the entire west side of Manhattan — will offer a great view as the Shuttle Carrier flies a lap up and down the river at altitudes between 1500 and 3000 ft.2. Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum: Regular admission fees apply, but you can watch the Hudson River flyby from the flight deck.3. Randalls Island: The north end of the island should offer a decent glimpse of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft enroute to its LaGuardia Airport flyby.

Queens

1. World’s Fair Marina, Flushing: From the east side of the Marina, a head-on low altitude view of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft on its LaGuardia Airport Runway 13 fly over.2. World’s Fair Marina Pedestrian Bridge, Flushing: This bridge over the Grand Central Parkway, near the western end of the marina, will provide an elevated, side-on view of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft during and after its LaGuardia Airport Runway 13 fly over.3. Fort Tilden, Rockaway Point: Distant view of the Shuttle Carrier as it flies east just off shore over the Atlantic enroute to its JFK flyby.4. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, North End: This spot should offer a stunning view of the Shuttle Carrier after its JFK Airport flyby.

Brooklyn

1. Brooklyn Heights Promenade: Will offer a distant but clear view as the Shuttle Carrier flies past the Statue of Liberty at around 1500 ft.2. Shore Parkway Promenade: In the shadow of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, this area should get at least two viewings of the Shuttle Carrier as it flies north over New York Harbor and south again.3. Coney Island: Distant sightings possible as Enterprise begins its flight up the Harbor, or possibly after it flies south and east for its JFK flyby.

The Bronx

1. Riverdale Park: View the Shuttle Carrier over the Hudson, with the beautiful Palisades in the background.

Staten Island

1. Fort Wadsworth: In the shadow of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, this park will offer a good view as the Shuttle begins its flight over New York Harbor and up the Hudson, and again when it flies south and east for its JFK flyby.

Long Island

1. Inwood Park, Inwood: This is probably the closest publicly accessible view of the flyby and the landing on Runway 31L.2. Eisenhower Park, Westbury: The Shuttle Carrier will approach from the west and/or north as it overflies the New York TRACON radar facility near the intersection of Stewart Ave and Merrick Ave.

New Jersey

1. Liberty State Park, Jersey City: Especially good views of the Statue of Liberty flyby.2. Palisades Interstate Park: From the cliffs, an elevated view of the Shuttle Carrier flying up and down the Hudson.

Westchester

1. Pierson Park, Tarrytown: Should offer a pretty good view of the Shuttle Carrier making a U-turn near the Tappan Zee Bridge.

Places NOT to go

1. Inside JFK Airport: There is an event to celebrate the arrival, but it’s invite-only. If you’re flying that day, great, maybe you’ll get a glimpse from the terminal. If you have a favorite, legally-accessible spot somewhere else on airport grounds, go for it. But security will be tight. If you don’t know where you’re going, don’t bother trying to wander around the airport to find a good viewing location, because you’ll probably miss the landing, get harassed by security or both.

The Route

As it first approaches the area, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) flies up the Hudson River past the west side of Manhattan at 1,500 feet, and then climbs to 3,000 after it passes the George Washington Bridge.

SCA will then make a left-handed U-turn when it reaches the Tappan Zee Bridge to fly down the Hudson, descending back to 1,500 ft when it reaches the Alpine radio tower near the New York/New Jersey border.

SCA continues past Manhattan down to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.

Once it passes south of the Verrazano, the next part of SCA’s itinerary depends on which runways are in use at Newark Airport…

If Newark is landing and departing to the south (Runways 22L and 22R) (most likely scenario):

SCA flies eastbound just off the south shore of Brooklyn and Queens at 1,500 feet, and then turns around to the left to fly a low pass of JFK’s Runway 31L at 1,000 ft.

From there, SCA flies west toward the Statue of Liberty, which flies by at around 1,500 ft.

SCA continues west and flies over Newark’s Runway 29 at 1,000 ft.

A climbing right turn to 2,000 ft takes SCA north over Teterboro Airport (technically not a flyby)

Then it’s to the east for a 1,000 ft flyby over LaGuardia’s Runway 13.

Back up to 2,000 ft and to the east for about 20 miles for a flyover of the FAA’s New York TRACON radar facility in Westbury.

A right turn to the south and landing on JFK’s Runway 31L.

If Newark Airport is landing and departing to the north (Runways 4L and 4R):

SCA makes a right turn after the Verrazano and flies over Newark’s Runway 4R at 1,000 ft

Climbing to 2,000 ft while continuing north, flies over Teterboro (not a flyby)

Makes a right turn and fly eastbound to LaGuardia, for a Runway 13 flyby at 1,000 ft

Back up to 2,000 ft and to the east for about 20 miles for a flyover of the FAA’s New York TRACON radar facility in Westbury.

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